LGBT Pride Month

President Barack Obama signed a proclamation yesterday designating June as LGBT Pride Month. News 25’s Kendra Turley caught up with locals in the LGBT community to hear more about the importance of the commemorative month.
The month of June is recognized as LGBT Pride Month. The month honors the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan, a pivotal moment in the fight for gay rights. Local LGBT community member Tony Boyette said, “Just the era of being able to be authentic, live authentically. When we talk about pride that was something the LGBT community didn’t have a lot of 20 to 25 years ago.”
The month long celebration highlights the local, national and international strides made toward equality over the years.
Parades, parties, workshops and concerts are held all throughout the month to unite people from all over the country. “This is a chance for us to be proud of who we are and what we contribute to the community. Mississippi has more same-sex couples raising children than any other state,” said Boyette.
Equal rights supporters tell News 25 even with landmark strides such as the legalization of same-sex marriages, there’s still a ways to go toward complete equality, especially with the recent discussion of House Bill 2 and House Bill 1523. Molly Kester said, “The lack of any kind of discussion at the bill level before they passed it was really devastating.”
Boyette stands by President Obama’s statement that “there remains much work to do to extend the promise of our country to every American.” “We’re here and we’re not going anywhere,” said Boyette, “And you can’t keep treating us like this. We’re people just like everyone else it. We’re entitled to the same rights.”